Lo and behold, I have finally posted Part X Part II. I wasn't sure if I
wanted to seeing I didn't get my minimum of 5 but then I got it, at the
last minute! (thanks alias gurl and ms. Mv) and then again, there was
people who truly deserved this: alpineracer88, abcdef, sheeplover and
pickynicky, thanks for your undying support, this is truly dedicated to
ya'll. ENJOY!
Alias "The Other Side of the Story" Part X (Part II) By: Leo's l'il sista
"Go ahead and have a seat," Agent Cowell requested, gesturing to the one that was identical to the one he was sitting in. A clipboard was settled on his lap.
Sydney did so, and she also tried to relax but it wasn't happening. She looked around at the empty walls and the small cubicle felt even smaller. But she knew she had to deal, if she ever wanted to get her life back together and that meant trying to piece together what she had lost over the past two years. And this man, was supposed to help her accomplish that. Keyword: Supposed to.
"Get yourself together," Sydney told herself, noticing she had such a tight grip on her arm rests that her knuckles had turned white. "This man knows what he's doing, he's trying to help you."
But ever since she'd gotten intel about Project Christmas and its' strange side effects, she didn't allow anyone too close into her mind. That was why she'd completely rejected hypno-therapy.
"All right, then? Shall we get started?"
" Um yeah, start away, I'm ready to get this over with," Sydney replied, her tone a bit high.
Cowell looked her over carefully and then poured a glass of water and handed it to her.
"You look tense," he commented, leaning back in his seat. "We need you to be comfortable if we have any hope of this working," he added, kindly. " Shall I start off by asking what is upsetting you at this very moment?"
Sydney saw Cowell hadn't picked up his pen so assumed this was off the record.
" This room, for one, I'm surprised the walls aren't padded. I feel like I'm in a mental hospital," Sydney confided.
" Oh, I see, you mean the empty walls?" Cowell asked, gesturing to the bareness. "Well you only see nothing because right now you are unsure and scared. The walls resemble your worst fear, that you will continue to feel empty. But as these sessions go on, you will learn to see that the walls are not empty, just the color white."
" Oh," Sydney stammered, taken aback by how smart Agent Leighton Cowell was. She lifted the glass to her lips and swallowed the water. Then she sat there for a moment, trying to relax, trying to be calm.
" Now, you look a bit calmer," Cowell evaluated with a smile. " Shall we begin?"
" Yes," Sydney answered, a bit more stable.
" Okay, first thing I will do is ask you what do you remember from your past. Let's start with the saddest, shall we?"
" The day I came back to this world. The day I found out the love of my life had moved on a married someone else," Sydney replied, looking down at the ground.
" Interesting," Cowell murmured and wrote down on his sheet. " Any others you can think of that upset you more than that?"
Sydney thought she should say losing Danny, but for some reason, she felt more miserable when she thought of Michael in a life without her.
" N~~no."
" Right then, let us move on to something that scared you," he suggested.
"Every one of my missions," Sydney thoughts but a more horrible thought struck her. "The scariest I've ever felt was losing Vaughn as my Operations Officer."
"And why is that?"
"Because I've already lost Michael to his wife. Being here at CIA only felt normal because I had such a good friend and trustworthy partner in Michael. When that changed, nothing was any longer the way it was before."
" Very well then, let's move onto the angriest moment of your life."
" Finding out my father was part of the CIA and how he'd had me tested to see if I could be a CIA spy. That and my mother pointing a gun at me," Sydney ticked off, but she didn't seem very angry at all.
"All right then, last question of the day," Cowell said with a grin. " tell me when you were the happiest."
"That's easy," she giggled. "The day Michael returned my feelings for him, and every day after that." This comment brought a tear to her eye. " Excuse me."
"It's all right, I should have told you before hand that this would get personal," Cowell languished. " I just didn't expect Agent Vaughn to be everything to you."
"He is~~~I mean, he was," Sydney said quickly.
Cowell looked at her thoughtfully, glanced at his notes and then leaned forward as he placed his clipboard down. " Okay, do you want me to give you my expert opinion."
" Wow, you have one already?" Sydney asked, taken aback, her eyes wide.
" Well, that is my job, Sydney," he said wryly. Sydney was surprised to see Agent Cowell had lost all of his sophistication and he could almost pass for a warm friend.
"But you didn't even ask me about my past two years, or what I remember," Sydney pointed out.
" Well you rejected hypno-therapy, I assumed you didn't want to talk about your missing episode," Agent Cowell inquired, gently, remembering to keep eye contact with her. "And besides, I couldn't get in there even if I wanted to, you have too much that you're dealing with now that until you face those, we couldn't get you to remember anything no matter how much money was involved."
" Well I suppose that makes sense, so you were evaluating my social baggage.
"To put it simply, yes. Being your psychiatrist and your Ops Officer, I've had an opportunity to learn about you. So when I asked those questions, I was wondering what meant a lot to you and how recent it is," Cowell revealed and then pulled his notes back out. " The majority of your responses pertained to Agent Vaughn, and since you interact with him everyday, that is something that must be dealt with. The other you mentioned was your parents, and though that is pretty recent, I don't see that as a problem. When you responded, it seems as though you've accepted it and it's become bridge under water."
" Well because it is. I guess you think that's a pretty pathetic answer, but it's true. I guess not a lot of things anger me," Sydney replied, jokingly.
"Not even, Michael?"
Sydney looked curiously at Cowell, trying to figure out what his deal was.
The psychiatrist sat there for maybe thirty seconds, waiting for Sydney's answer, that did not come.
"Okay, if that is how you want to play this," Cowell exhaled with a shrug. " Sydney, I believe Michael is the problem, right now."
"What?"
"Most patients I've dealt with who have memory gaps say their angriest moment is at whoever had caused their trauma. You are not even at that state. Yours is a relationship trauma and you must deal with that before we start figuring out what is undoubtedly, locked in your mind."
"Well, I have figured that out without your help," Sydney replied like a smart-ass.
"Well then, I suppose you know the only cure for you is to face up to Michael, let out everything about him from your body and then, move on."
"I know that, Dr. Cowell."
"Which brings up the question if you will continue to work in the CIA?"
"Yes, I am," Sydney replied promptly.
"Ms. Bristow, being around Michael is going to prolong your agony. You best bet is to get as far away from Vaughn as possible," Cowell broke in, gently.
"I've already thought about it, Cowell, and I know what I'm doing," Sydney told him, irritably. She was starting to get annoyed by the fact she had to answer him when she'd been in the CIA a hell of a lot longer than him.
"You do?" Cowell asked, looking genuinely surprised. "Well, please, go on."
"Go on? What, now I have to tell you about my personal plans?"
"You are currently in therapy, and as your Ops officer, I will find out eventually," Cowell said with a shrug. "Besides, I think you would benefit from my professional opinion."
"Benefit?" Sydney almost screamed. "Do you know who you're talking to here? Benefit?"
"Excuse me, Mr. Cowell but if we're done here, I have better things to do," she told him firmly and got up from her seat.
"Sydney, wait a second, we haven't even gotten through one therapy session and you're kicking me out?" Cowell demanded, maybe a bit hurt.
"You don't call this a therapy session. You know what you call this, hounding Sydney. That's what this is! I don't' know what Kendall thinks is great about you but I've had this, and I've had it with you!"
"Sydney, Kendall did not put you up to some kind of scam."
"Oh, I'm sorry but prying into my private business and giving it a name like therapy. Oh yeah, that's a scam."
"Sydney, personal issues are likely to come up, after all, we are trying to get deep into your mind. Please be reasonable," Cowell chided the stubborn agent.
"No, you be reasonable, doc. You've done this before right? Dealt with cases like mine? Well then you should know why I would guard my privacy. Because that's the only thing that makes any sense to me. I will not believe you if you say none of your clients came back to the world and didn't find their husband or wife was remarried. Maybe their kids grew up and didn't recognize him."
"S~~Sydney, I am not trying to agitate you or push your buttons. But sacrifices must be made. And you know the goal, when reached, will be worth it."
"That may be true, doc. But I don't' want your help. Had I known this was what this session would be about, I wouldn't have shown."
"Sydney, what is wrong with talking to me? I am offering to listen to you, help you, like I've helped others."
"Right, well, the reason is, I don't trust you. I mean, Cowell, how dare you go to my superior and tell him Vaughn should no longer be my Operations Officer! You've got an agenda, Leighton, and I want to know what it is, right now," Sydney commanded in a threatening tone.
"I was only doing what you couldn't bring yourself to do," Cowell said simply, his voice cold.
"I never asked for your help, Cowell. So stay out of my personal business. This conversation is over!"
"I'm still your Operations Officer, Agent Bristow," he said with a smirk as Sydney reached the doorway.
"We'll see about that," she snickered, haughtily and slammed the door in the agent's face.
" Well, that went awfully well," Cowell grimaced and dropped into his chair and threw the clipboard against the wall in frustration.
"Beep, Beep!"
Cowell gulped. He knew she would call. Only he had not much to tell her. He was 99.9% sure she wasn't going to be happy when he informed her he'd failed as a therapist and Agent Cowell.
"Beep, Beep!"
Cowell took a breath and answered the phone.
"Salutations, boss."
"Don't, "salutations, boss," me, you imbecile!"
Ouch! It seemed like she'd had an extremely bad day.
"Mam, are you okay?"
"Of course I'm fine, Leighton! DON'T ASK ME STUPID QUESTIONS!"
Cowell held the receiver away from his ear. Yup. She was in the worst mood ever.
"My apologies, mam," Leighton lamented, turning gentleman. " I suppose you want the report."
"Oh yes, and you'd better have good news, Cowell, I'm upset enough!"
Cowell sighed. This was not going to be pretty.
"Well mam, my first session with Bristow was just completed."
"Good, I trust it was satisfactory."
"Um, actually, it didn't go that well."
"WHAT!"
"She's not remembered a thing about the two years, but her personal business is all about that agent."
"What did you do about it?" the other voice demanded, getting shrill.
"Nothing, mam. She already has plans to move away from Agent Vaughn," he reported a bit cheerfully.
"Oh she does. Well that's the best news I've heard yet. So, what is her next move?"
"That's just it, mam. She didn't tell me."
"You mean you didn't ask her?"
"No mam, but my doing so seems to have pushed her away. She says she doesn't trust me and that she hates me. It seems she has found out my part in getting Vaughn switched."
"Cowell, this is an outrage!"
"I also believe she is on her way to Kendall and demand to have Vaughn reinstated," Cowell said, timidly.
"But her next move!"
"It may be to somehow find her way back to him," Cowell replied, shaking with fear.
"AGENT COWELL! YOU WILL PREVENT BRISTOW FROM SCREWING UP OUR PLANS IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! YOU FIND OUT WHAT BRISTOW IS UP TO! I DON'T WANT A REPORT LIKE THIS AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME, AGENT COWELL!"
"Loud and clear, mam," he said, sarcastically.
"Good! Now get to it! I will be in touch."
"Have a nice day, mam," Leighton cracked.
"Agent Cowell, that is not FUNNY!" she screamed and clicked off.
"I thought it was," Cowell chuckled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sydney got as far away as she could from the room where her therapy had been held. She knew she could probably get into some trouble but Sydney had been absolutely disgusted by Cowell, and to think Kendall had been behind it too? She was sort of glad that she was leaving L.A. soon, and this place would be a scene in her rearview mirror.
Sydney was still extremely appalled at Agent Cowell's behavior. She had expected him to upstandish to a certain extent because that seemed to be a part of his character, but what he'd done had gone past arrogant. Cowell was on a mission to find out whatever he could and that made her uneasy. She only hoped her mother wasn't behind this all. Sydney was acting as normal as she had been before disappearing for two years, but that didn't mean she was ready to go up again Irina Derevko.
"S~~Sydney?"
Sydney cringed. That male voice, belonged to a certain French agent. And after dealing with what that idiot of a psychiatrist, she was in no shape to listen to whatever hopes and promises he'd come up with now. Quite frankly, she was tired of Michael's games and his inability to make a decision decreased her attraction towards him.
"Agent Vaughn, I told you I was going to think about it, and I'm still~~~thinking about it."
Standing there was her, "Michael," all right, next to the last person she'd imagine seeing him standing next to.
"Dad?"
"Hello, Sydney," Jack murmured, very uncomfortably.
"O~okay, Michael, do you want to explain what you're doing to my father, and if you think this kidnap antic is getting you anywhere with me, you thought wrong," Sydney stammered, getting testy. It wasn't normal that she would take her father's side and go against Vaughn, but at that moment, she just wanted to put her former boyfriend in check.
"No, nothing like that," Michael assured her, his cheeks growing warm from embarrassment. Did Sydney really have to embarrass him like that in front of her father?
"Oh," Sydney replied, her hair standing on end. Yes, she didn't like how Michael was trying to pursue her while married but she wanted that to be the reason now. Because the only other reason Michael would approach her with her father was because something had come up, and in the CIA, that was never good.
"Okay, Vaughn, spill, what kind of catastrophe has hit the earth today?" she asked in a typical sarcastic Sydney-tirade.
"Nothing other than our Armed Forces fighting overseas," he said, mildly.
"So, why are you with my father?" Sydney pushed, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. "Unless you two have completely lost your minds."
Michael and Jack exchanged looks.
"You tell her," Jack's expression said to Michael. "You're the man how is so-called still in love with my daughter. And besides you were her Operations Officer, delivering bad news should be your specialty!"
But Michael's face argued. "You're the father, you tell her, unless you're going to admit I've been better to Sydney than you will ever be."
"Will somebody please tell me what is going on?" Sydney retorted, cutting into their thoughts.
"Well, daughter~~~this is going to come very unexpected but~~~you have every right to know," Jack replied, his words coming out muffled and forced.
"Every right to know what?" Sydney repeated and then shot a glance at Michael. "You claim to have wanted to talk with me," Sydney reminded him, coldly. "So talk."
Michael could not hide his pain and he looked even more mournful as he straightened his posture and became all business.
"We have a mild situation," Agent Vaughn reported with a worried expression. "Is your session over?"
Sydney nodded.
"I know I'm not your Ops officer at the moment, but Kendall has "graciously," asked me to handle this, since I have experience with you. Will you come with me?"
"What about my father?"
Jack stepped towards her at the mention of his, "title." "I will join you, Sydney, but I think it would be better if you go with Agent Vaughn, alone."
Alone? With Michael? That couldn't have positive outcomes.
"Fine," Sydney frowned, after a beat. She flashed Vaughn her profile as she said, "Let's go."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"Why did Vaughn bring me here?" Sydney contemplated as she walked towards the brown table.
"I know this is awkward but things will get clearer," Vaughn promised when he sensed Sydney's fear and confusion.
"Of course," Sydney smirked. "It always does. So I guess I sit here and wait for some person to join me?"
"You can certainly cut back on the sarcasm but, yes, that is precisely what we want you to do," Vaughn replied, dryly. He pulled out the seat next to her and sat down.
"My father doesn't get to stay but you do?" Sydney chuckled, making Michael blush. " So Kendall has a heart after all."
Michael didn't reply because his mind was totally not on this. The next time he said anything to Sydney, he was going to let her know how much he still loved her.
Sydney noticed Michael had closed up but shrugged it off. After all, his wife was in the hospital, she ought to cut him some slack.
The next moment, she totally forgot about Michael. She heart a woman's voice shouting sarcastically.
"Funny," Sydney thought. That almost sounded like her.
"I've been flying clean for the years, I don't need armed men hauling me around!" the woman was shrieking angrily, completely annoyed.
Sydney got to her feet, Michael following quickly in suit as the metal door unlocked and then flew open.
"Agent Bristow sends his regards," said a very desperate sounding voice.
"Sends his regards? I dragged my butt over here from my new life venture in France! I better get more than some stupid regards!" she shrieked as she was pushed into the room. Then the door was slammed and the click of huge locks sliding into place could be heard.
"Jack, you better be in this room so I can tell you what I think of your idea of pulling me back into the past I've been trying to forget! And you better have a damn good reason!"
Sydney stared at the woman who had joined them and was shaken. The same luxuriously full brown hair, the same vibrant amber eyes and athletic build.
Her hands shook as she placed them onto the table. She felt Michael's hand on her shoulder to steady her. And she didn't cringe, she was actually thankful.
"M~~~mom?"
"Ms. Derekvo?" Michael gasped next.
Irina stood, frozen, when she heard the, "mom," title. Because after all, she had only one daughter. And her one daughter was dead.
Right?
"M~~mom?"
Irina bit her lip but lifted her head.
And then she saw her. The shocked expression made her eyes that much more noticeable.
It couldn't be.but it was!
S~~Sydney," Irina gasped, her voice cracking on the, "ney," of Sydney.
Sydney nodded her head.
That was the confirmation Irina needed, and as proof, a tear trickled down the cheek of Sydney's terrified mother.
Okay! Grab the tissues! The continuation of Irina's first confrontation with Sydney after over two years is right ahead! And Sydney and Michael, is there really hope for them, especially since Cowell is trying to break them apart with that mysterious, "boss," of his? See you next update! Please review! My limit is five before I update, tee hee so keep them coming! And please go ahead and spread the word just if you do, let me know! Thanks, love you so much.
p.s. please come to fictionpress.net and check out my stuff as pen name: Kristina Toffland!!!!! Thanks! Lataz, Leo's l'il sista
Alias "The Other Side of the Story" Part X (Part II) By: Leo's l'il sista
"Go ahead and have a seat," Agent Cowell requested, gesturing to the one that was identical to the one he was sitting in. A clipboard was settled on his lap.
Sydney did so, and she also tried to relax but it wasn't happening. She looked around at the empty walls and the small cubicle felt even smaller. But she knew she had to deal, if she ever wanted to get her life back together and that meant trying to piece together what she had lost over the past two years. And this man, was supposed to help her accomplish that. Keyword: Supposed to.
"Get yourself together," Sydney told herself, noticing she had such a tight grip on her arm rests that her knuckles had turned white. "This man knows what he's doing, he's trying to help you."
But ever since she'd gotten intel about Project Christmas and its' strange side effects, she didn't allow anyone too close into her mind. That was why she'd completely rejected hypno-therapy.
"All right, then? Shall we get started?"
" Um yeah, start away, I'm ready to get this over with," Sydney replied, her tone a bit high.
Cowell looked her over carefully and then poured a glass of water and handed it to her.
"You look tense," he commented, leaning back in his seat. "We need you to be comfortable if we have any hope of this working," he added, kindly. " Shall I start off by asking what is upsetting you at this very moment?"
Sydney saw Cowell hadn't picked up his pen so assumed this was off the record.
" This room, for one, I'm surprised the walls aren't padded. I feel like I'm in a mental hospital," Sydney confided.
" Oh, I see, you mean the empty walls?" Cowell asked, gesturing to the bareness. "Well you only see nothing because right now you are unsure and scared. The walls resemble your worst fear, that you will continue to feel empty. But as these sessions go on, you will learn to see that the walls are not empty, just the color white."
" Oh," Sydney stammered, taken aback by how smart Agent Leighton Cowell was. She lifted the glass to her lips and swallowed the water. Then she sat there for a moment, trying to relax, trying to be calm.
" Now, you look a bit calmer," Cowell evaluated with a smile. " Shall we begin?"
" Yes," Sydney answered, a bit more stable.
" Okay, first thing I will do is ask you what do you remember from your past. Let's start with the saddest, shall we?"
" The day I came back to this world. The day I found out the love of my life had moved on a married someone else," Sydney replied, looking down at the ground.
" Interesting," Cowell murmured and wrote down on his sheet. " Any others you can think of that upset you more than that?"
Sydney thought she should say losing Danny, but for some reason, she felt more miserable when she thought of Michael in a life without her.
" N~~no."
" Right then, let us move on to something that scared you," he suggested.
"Every one of my missions," Sydney thoughts but a more horrible thought struck her. "The scariest I've ever felt was losing Vaughn as my Operations Officer."
"And why is that?"
"Because I've already lost Michael to his wife. Being here at CIA only felt normal because I had such a good friend and trustworthy partner in Michael. When that changed, nothing was any longer the way it was before."
" Very well then, let's move onto the angriest moment of your life."
" Finding out my father was part of the CIA and how he'd had me tested to see if I could be a CIA spy. That and my mother pointing a gun at me," Sydney ticked off, but she didn't seem very angry at all.
"All right then, last question of the day," Cowell said with a grin. " tell me when you were the happiest."
"That's easy," she giggled. "The day Michael returned my feelings for him, and every day after that." This comment brought a tear to her eye. " Excuse me."
"It's all right, I should have told you before hand that this would get personal," Cowell languished. " I just didn't expect Agent Vaughn to be everything to you."
"He is~~~I mean, he was," Sydney said quickly.
Cowell looked at her thoughtfully, glanced at his notes and then leaned forward as he placed his clipboard down. " Okay, do you want me to give you my expert opinion."
" Wow, you have one already?" Sydney asked, taken aback, her eyes wide.
" Well, that is my job, Sydney," he said wryly. Sydney was surprised to see Agent Cowell had lost all of his sophistication and he could almost pass for a warm friend.
"But you didn't even ask me about my past two years, or what I remember," Sydney pointed out.
" Well you rejected hypno-therapy, I assumed you didn't want to talk about your missing episode," Agent Cowell inquired, gently, remembering to keep eye contact with her. "And besides, I couldn't get in there even if I wanted to, you have too much that you're dealing with now that until you face those, we couldn't get you to remember anything no matter how much money was involved."
" Well I suppose that makes sense, so you were evaluating my social baggage.
"To put it simply, yes. Being your psychiatrist and your Ops Officer, I've had an opportunity to learn about you. So when I asked those questions, I was wondering what meant a lot to you and how recent it is," Cowell revealed and then pulled his notes back out. " The majority of your responses pertained to Agent Vaughn, and since you interact with him everyday, that is something that must be dealt with. The other you mentioned was your parents, and though that is pretty recent, I don't see that as a problem. When you responded, it seems as though you've accepted it and it's become bridge under water."
" Well because it is. I guess you think that's a pretty pathetic answer, but it's true. I guess not a lot of things anger me," Sydney replied, jokingly.
"Not even, Michael?"
Sydney looked curiously at Cowell, trying to figure out what his deal was.
The psychiatrist sat there for maybe thirty seconds, waiting for Sydney's answer, that did not come.
"Okay, if that is how you want to play this," Cowell exhaled with a shrug. " Sydney, I believe Michael is the problem, right now."
"What?"
"Most patients I've dealt with who have memory gaps say their angriest moment is at whoever had caused their trauma. You are not even at that state. Yours is a relationship trauma and you must deal with that before we start figuring out what is undoubtedly, locked in your mind."
"Well, I have figured that out without your help," Sydney replied like a smart-ass.
"Well then, I suppose you know the only cure for you is to face up to Michael, let out everything about him from your body and then, move on."
"I know that, Dr. Cowell."
"Which brings up the question if you will continue to work in the CIA?"
"Yes, I am," Sydney replied promptly.
"Ms. Bristow, being around Michael is going to prolong your agony. You best bet is to get as far away from Vaughn as possible," Cowell broke in, gently.
"I've already thought about it, Cowell, and I know what I'm doing," Sydney told him, irritably. She was starting to get annoyed by the fact she had to answer him when she'd been in the CIA a hell of a lot longer than him.
"You do?" Cowell asked, looking genuinely surprised. "Well, please, go on."
"Go on? What, now I have to tell you about my personal plans?"
"You are currently in therapy, and as your Ops officer, I will find out eventually," Cowell said with a shrug. "Besides, I think you would benefit from my professional opinion."
"Benefit?" Sydney almost screamed. "Do you know who you're talking to here? Benefit?"
"Excuse me, Mr. Cowell but if we're done here, I have better things to do," she told him firmly and got up from her seat.
"Sydney, wait a second, we haven't even gotten through one therapy session and you're kicking me out?" Cowell demanded, maybe a bit hurt.
"You don't call this a therapy session. You know what you call this, hounding Sydney. That's what this is! I don't' know what Kendall thinks is great about you but I've had this, and I've had it with you!"
"Sydney, Kendall did not put you up to some kind of scam."
"Oh, I'm sorry but prying into my private business and giving it a name like therapy. Oh yeah, that's a scam."
"Sydney, personal issues are likely to come up, after all, we are trying to get deep into your mind. Please be reasonable," Cowell chided the stubborn agent.
"No, you be reasonable, doc. You've done this before right? Dealt with cases like mine? Well then you should know why I would guard my privacy. Because that's the only thing that makes any sense to me. I will not believe you if you say none of your clients came back to the world and didn't find their husband or wife was remarried. Maybe their kids grew up and didn't recognize him."
"S~~Sydney, I am not trying to agitate you or push your buttons. But sacrifices must be made. And you know the goal, when reached, will be worth it."
"That may be true, doc. But I don't' want your help. Had I known this was what this session would be about, I wouldn't have shown."
"Sydney, what is wrong with talking to me? I am offering to listen to you, help you, like I've helped others."
"Right, well, the reason is, I don't trust you. I mean, Cowell, how dare you go to my superior and tell him Vaughn should no longer be my Operations Officer! You've got an agenda, Leighton, and I want to know what it is, right now," Sydney commanded in a threatening tone.
"I was only doing what you couldn't bring yourself to do," Cowell said simply, his voice cold.
"I never asked for your help, Cowell. So stay out of my personal business. This conversation is over!"
"I'm still your Operations Officer, Agent Bristow," he said with a smirk as Sydney reached the doorway.
"We'll see about that," she snickered, haughtily and slammed the door in the agent's face.
" Well, that went awfully well," Cowell grimaced and dropped into his chair and threw the clipboard against the wall in frustration.
"Beep, Beep!"
Cowell gulped. He knew she would call. Only he had not much to tell her. He was 99.9% sure she wasn't going to be happy when he informed her he'd failed as a therapist and Agent Cowell.
"Beep, Beep!"
Cowell took a breath and answered the phone.
"Salutations, boss."
"Don't, "salutations, boss," me, you imbecile!"
Ouch! It seemed like she'd had an extremely bad day.
"Mam, are you okay?"
"Of course I'm fine, Leighton! DON'T ASK ME STUPID QUESTIONS!"
Cowell held the receiver away from his ear. Yup. She was in the worst mood ever.
"My apologies, mam," Leighton lamented, turning gentleman. " I suppose you want the report."
"Oh yes, and you'd better have good news, Cowell, I'm upset enough!"
Cowell sighed. This was not going to be pretty.
"Well mam, my first session with Bristow was just completed."
"Good, I trust it was satisfactory."
"Um, actually, it didn't go that well."
"WHAT!"
"She's not remembered a thing about the two years, but her personal business is all about that agent."
"What did you do about it?" the other voice demanded, getting shrill.
"Nothing, mam. She already has plans to move away from Agent Vaughn," he reported a bit cheerfully.
"Oh she does. Well that's the best news I've heard yet. So, what is her next move?"
"That's just it, mam. She didn't tell me."
"You mean you didn't ask her?"
"No mam, but my doing so seems to have pushed her away. She says she doesn't trust me and that she hates me. It seems she has found out my part in getting Vaughn switched."
"Cowell, this is an outrage!"
"I also believe she is on her way to Kendall and demand to have Vaughn reinstated," Cowell said, timidly.
"But her next move!"
"It may be to somehow find her way back to him," Cowell replied, shaking with fear.
"AGENT COWELL! YOU WILL PREVENT BRISTOW FROM SCREWING UP OUR PLANS IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU! YOU FIND OUT WHAT BRISTOW IS UP TO! I DON'T WANT A REPORT LIKE THIS AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME, AGENT COWELL!"
"Loud and clear, mam," he said, sarcastically.
"Good! Now get to it! I will be in touch."
"Have a nice day, mam," Leighton cracked.
"Agent Cowell, that is not FUNNY!" she screamed and clicked off.
"I thought it was," Cowell chuckled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sydney got as far away as she could from the room where her therapy had been held. She knew she could probably get into some trouble but Sydney had been absolutely disgusted by Cowell, and to think Kendall had been behind it too? She was sort of glad that she was leaving L.A. soon, and this place would be a scene in her rearview mirror.
Sydney was still extremely appalled at Agent Cowell's behavior. She had expected him to upstandish to a certain extent because that seemed to be a part of his character, but what he'd done had gone past arrogant. Cowell was on a mission to find out whatever he could and that made her uneasy. She only hoped her mother wasn't behind this all. Sydney was acting as normal as she had been before disappearing for two years, but that didn't mean she was ready to go up again Irina Derevko.
"S~~Sydney?"
Sydney cringed. That male voice, belonged to a certain French agent. And after dealing with what that idiot of a psychiatrist, she was in no shape to listen to whatever hopes and promises he'd come up with now. Quite frankly, she was tired of Michael's games and his inability to make a decision decreased her attraction towards him.
"Agent Vaughn, I told you I was going to think about it, and I'm still~~~thinking about it."
Standing there was her, "Michael," all right, next to the last person she'd imagine seeing him standing next to.
"Dad?"
"Hello, Sydney," Jack murmured, very uncomfortably.
"O~okay, Michael, do you want to explain what you're doing to my father, and if you think this kidnap antic is getting you anywhere with me, you thought wrong," Sydney stammered, getting testy. It wasn't normal that she would take her father's side and go against Vaughn, but at that moment, she just wanted to put her former boyfriend in check.
"No, nothing like that," Michael assured her, his cheeks growing warm from embarrassment. Did Sydney really have to embarrass him like that in front of her father?
"Oh," Sydney replied, her hair standing on end. Yes, she didn't like how Michael was trying to pursue her while married but she wanted that to be the reason now. Because the only other reason Michael would approach her with her father was because something had come up, and in the CIA, that was never good.
"Okay, Vaughn, spill, what kind of catastrophe has hit the earth today?" she asked in a typical sarcastic Sydney-tirade.
"Nothing other than our Armed Forces fighting overseas," he said, mildly.
"So, why are you with my father?" Sydney pushed, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. "Unless you two have completely lost your minds."
Michael and Jack exchanged looks.
"You tell her," Jack's expression said to Michael. "You're the man how is so-called still in love with my daughter. And besides you were her Operations Officer, delivering bad news should be your specialty!"
But Michael's face argued. "You're the father, you tell her, unless you're going to admit I've been better to Sydney than you will ever be."
"Will somebody please tell me what is going on?" Sydney retorted, cutting into their thoughts.
"Well, daughter~~~this is going to come very unexpected but~~~you have every right to know," Jack replied, his words coming out muffled and forced.
"Every right to know what?" Sydney repeated and then shot a glance at Michael. "You claim to have wanted to talk with me," Sydney reminded him, coldly. "So talk."
Michael could not hide his pain and he looked even more mournful as he straightened his posture and became all business.
"We have a mild situation," Agent Vaughn reported with a worried expression. "Is your session over?"
Sydney nodded.
"I know I'm not your Ops officer at the moment, but Kendall has "graciously," asked me to handle this, since I have experience with you. Will you come with me?"
"What about my father?"
Jack stepped towards her at the mention of his, "title." "I will join you, Sydney, but I think it would be better if you go with Agent Vaughn, alone."
Alone? With Michael? That couldn't have positive outcomes.
"Fine," Sydney frowned, after a beat. She flashed Vaughn her profile as she said, "Let's go."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~
"Why did Vaughn bring me here?" Sydney contemplated as she walked towards the brown table.
"I know this is awkward but things will get clearer," Vaughn promised when he sensed Sydney's fear and confusion.
"Of course," Sydney smirked. "It always does. So I guess I sit here and wait for some person to join me?"
"You can certainly cut back on the sarcasm but, yes, that is precisely what we want you to do," Vaughn replied, dryly. He pulled out the seat next to her and sat down.
"My father doesn't get to stay but you do?" Sydney chuckled, making Michael blush. " So Kendall has a heart after all."
Michael didn't reply because his mind was totally not on this. The next time he said anything to Sydney, he was going to let her know how much he still loved her.
Sydney noticed Michael had closed up but shrugged it off. After all, his wife was in the hospital, she ought to cut him some slack.
The next moment, she totally forgot about Michael. She heart a woman's voice shouting sarcastically.
"Funny," Sydney thought. That almost sounded like her.
"I've been flying clean for the years, I don't need armed men hauling me around!" the woman was shrieking angrily, completely annoyed.
Sydney got to her feet, Michael following quickly in suit as the metal door unlocked and then flew open.
"Agent Bristow sends his regards," said a very desperate sounding voice.
"Sends his regards? I dragged my butt over here from my new life venture in France! I better get more than some stupid regards!" she shrieked as she was pushed into the room. Then the door was slammed and the click of huge locks sliding into place could be heard.
"Jack, you better be in this room so I can tell you what I think of your idea of pulling me back into the past I've been trying to forget! And you better have a damn good reason!"
Sydney stared at the woman who had joined them and was shaken. The same luxuriously full brown hair, the same vibrant amber eyes and athletic build.
Her hands shook as she placed them onto the table. She felt Michael's hand on her shoulder to steady her. And she didn't cringe, she was actually thankful.
"M~~~mom?"
"Ms. Derekvo?" Michael gasped next.
Irina stood, frozen, when she heard the, "mom," title. Because after all, she had only one daughter. And her one daughter was dead.
Right?
"M~~mom?"
Irina bit her lip but lifted her head.
And then she saw her. The shocked expression made her eyes that much more noticeable.
It couldn't be.but it was!
S~~Sydney," Irina gasped, her voice cracking on the, "ney," of Sydney.
Sydney nodded her head.
That was the confirmation Irina needed, and as proof, a tear trickled down the cheek of Sydney's terrified mother.
Okay! Grab the tissues! The continuation of Irina's first confrontation with Sydney after over two years is right ahead! And Sydney and Michael, is there really hope for them, especially since Cowell is trying to break them apart with that mysterious, "boss," of his? See you next update! Please review! My limit is five before I update, tee hee so keep them coming! And please go ahead and spread the word just if you do, let me know! Thanks, love you so much.
p.s. please come to fictionpress.net and check out my stuff as pen name: Kristina Toffland!!!!! Thanks! Lataz, Leo's l'il sista
